Officials later found the dead lion, which was determined to be a juvenile male weighing around 80lbs (36kg).

“The runner did everything he could to save his life,” said Mark Leslie, CPW’s Northeast Region manager, who did not say exactly how the runner killed the animal.

“In the event of a lion attack, you need to do anything in your power to fight back just as this gentleman did.”

Cougars, also known as mountain lions, panthers or pumas, are members of the wild cat family. They live across the Americas, from British Columbia to Argentina.

Mountain lion attacks in North America are very rare, officials say, with fewer than 20 happening in the past 100 years.

Instances of attacks are often seen among sick or starving lions, which normally are elusive and tend to avoid humans. The animal in Monday’s attack has been taken to a nearby lab for a post-mortem examination to be performed.

If you ever seen a big cat, authorities say not to run, since that may trigger the lion’s hunting reflexes.

“Running may stimulate a lion’s instinct to chase and attack,” the park service said.

Instead people should stand firm and make an effort to look larger, and if attacked, fight back using any weapon at hand.

“What you want to do is convince the lion you are not prey and that you may in fact be a danger to the lion,” officials said in a statement.

“People have fought back with rocks, sticks, caps or jackets, garden tools and their bare hands successfully,” the park statement read, adding that sensitive areas such as the eyes should be targeted first.

Last May, two cyclists in Washington state were killed by what authorities described as an “emaciated” cougar.